Shutoff coupling



,5 INVENTQRT(l ATToRA/EK June 6, 1944. F. J. HlazYwoQDv sHUT-oFF couPLING Filed Aug. 3, 194s Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED` STATES PATENT!r `1 OFFICE 'l V2,350,681 1 i sHU'roFn COUPLING t Frank J. Heywood, Mill Valley, Calif. Applicationgugust 3, 1943, Serial No. 497,253 4 claims. (C1.` 21u- 19) l This invention relates to improvements in` couplings, and more particularly to a hose coupling which is equipped with an automatic shut-off valve.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved hose coupling having an automatic valve, which, when the coupling operation is completed, will allow the free flow of airor other pressure iiuid through Athe coupling, and which, when the coupling is disconnected, -will automatically Vclose that part of thecoupling supplied with the pressure fluid.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved coupling for tubular conduits, `,one part carrying a check valve which is adapted to be automatically actuated to a closed position by fluid pressure directed against it, and another part having a projecting member` which,when the coupling'is'completed, Will move thetvalve to an open position against the fluid pressure t Other and further objects of this invention will be vpointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in theappended claims, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understandingof the present'disclosure. For the .purpose of this Vappli'cation, I have elected to show certainforms and details of a shut-olcoupling representative of my invention; itis to' be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for the purpose of' illustration only, and that therefore it is: not to, be regarded as .exhaustive ofthe variations of the invention, nor is it to be given an interpretation such as might have the eiect of limiting the claims, short of the true vand most comprehensive scope of the' invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred principles of my invention- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View showing the two parts of the coupling in detached positions;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the coupling with the parts connected to one another;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates an outer tubular member or casing having an inner tubular member 2 arranged concentrically therein to provide a central bore 2. The inner tubular member is spaced from the outer tubular member so as to provide an annular channel or chamber 3 which is closed at one end by a sealed annular partition 4 and at its opposite end by an end wall 75. The casing is suitably secured to a serrated tubular extension 6 to which a hose or other suitableconduit is normally connected. In ordinary practice compressed air or other fluid under pressure is directed through the tubular extension 6 and into the inner tubular member 2 from a suitable source. The inner tubular member is provided near the outlet end of the extension 6 with one or more. openings which provide uidoutlet means 1 forthe passage of the pressure iiuidtto the annular chamber 3. The pressure fluid is againadmittedto the inside of the inner tubular member 2 through one or more openingsrwhich provide inlet means 8. The inlet means is locatednnear a valve seat 9 which is provided at the outlet end of the inner tubular memberY 2. Selidably mounted in the .bore 2 of the inner tubular member 2 isa suitably shaped valve element. Ill which is adapted tobe actuated in Aa direction toward the valve: seat 9 by the iiuid supplied to the inlet end of said inner tubularv member. The-valve element, when moved to an engaging positionwithrespeet to the valve seat 9, closesl the outlet means 8 and prevents the iiow of the fluid throughthe outlet end of the inner tubular'member. t Y

v The complementary part of the coupling comprises a bodyfll of somewhat the same general shape and size as the outer tubular member I, having an'axial lbore for thepassage of a uid. The body I Iris provided at one end with a serrated tubularv projection I2 to which an outlet hose or other suitable conduit is normally connected. The opposite end of the body II`is provided with an externally threaded extension I3 which is adapted to extend into and engage with the internally threaded open end of the outer tubular member I when the coupling is completed. The body l is also provided at said opposite end with an axial tubular extension I4 having one or more inlet openings I5 which, when in registry with ythe inlet means 8 of the inner tubular member 2,

allows the iiow of iluid from the annular chamber 3 to the tubular extension, from whence it proceeds through the axial bore in the body II to the serrated tubular extension I2. When the coupling is completed by the screwing of the threaded extension I3 into the threaded end ci the outer tubular member I, the axial tubular extension engages with the valve element I0 and forces it against the pressure of the iluid in the inner tubular member to a position whereby the inlet means 8 is uncovered. When the extension I3 of the body II has been fully screwed into the outer tubular member I, the inlet opening I5 will have come into registry with the inlet means 8, thereby allowing the continuous flow of fluid' an engaging position with respect to the valve seat 9, thereby, shutting off the flow of fluid through the female part of the coupling.

The coupling comprising the present invention is particularly useful in facilitating the connec-` tion of a pneumatic tool with a line leading to a source of compressed air. The joining of4 the male and female parts of the coupling will automatically connect the tool with the source of compressed air, and the disconnection of the saidl parts of the coupling will automatically discon` tinue the flow of compressed air past the valve element.. The valve element may embody a spherical or other suitable shape,v and i-f desi-red a facing of rubberor other material-may beprovided either-on the valve seat -or on :thencontacting part of the yalveelement. i Having described my invention; what Iclaim *.1.Y A shut-offcoupling comprising an cuter casing. having connecting mean-sat one end, 4an innertubepositioned-inside the casing and a-rranged to provideA a fluidchannel between it and the casing, thesaid inner-tube having a fluid inlet at one end and a fluid outlet at its -opposite end, the-said inner-tube having a fluid outlet means and a fluidinlet--means in its walls each -connectingswith the fluid channel, the fluid outlet means being spaced from the 'fluid inlet means, a valve element slidably mounted in the inner tube and-arr-angedto be actuated by vthe fluid entering the-'innerA tubey to simultaneously closethe inlet 'meansand the fluid outlet of the inner tube, aY-tubular body having a part engageablewith the connecting mea-nsof the outer vcasingga tubular extension on the fbody" arranged when the body Vis connected to the casing to force the valve element to aposition in the innerV tube whereby the inlet means and-the fluid outlet ofrthevinner tube are'bothopened, Ithe said tu-k bular extension having 1an inlet Aopening arranged -tovregister withtheyinlet means of the inner tube-when the casing and-theV tubular body are connected, whereby,l the fluid mayV freely flow through the coupling.'

2, A shut-off coupling 'comprising an outer casing having a fluidinlet at none end, a fluid outlet at its opposite end and a central bore connecting with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, a fluid channel in the casing arranged alongside the central bore, fluid outlet means and fluid inlet means connecting the central bore with the opposite ends of the channel, a valve element slidably mounted in the central bore and arranged to be actuated by the fluid entering the bore to close the inlet means, and a tubular body connectable to the fluid outletend'of the casing having a tubular extension arranged to move the valve element against the fluid pressure in the b ore to a position whereby the fluid inlet means is opened, the said tubular extension having an inlet arranged to register with the fluid inlet meansV when the tubular body and the casing are connected.

3; Ashu't-oif coupling comprising a casing having a central bore, one end of which is provided with a fluid inlet and its opposite end with a fluid-outlet, a channel arranged in the casing in fspaced'but substantially parallel relationship to the central bore, fluid outlet means and fluid inlet means connecting the bore with opposite ends of fthe channel, a valve seat at 'the outlet end ofYV the bore, avalve element' reciprocably mounted in the bore and arranged to be actuated into engagement with the valve -seat by the pressureof fluid entering through the fluid inlet of 'the bore, whereby the fluid inlet means land the fluid outlet are both closed, and -a tubular body connectable to the casing, having an openextension arranged'to enter the bore and' unseat the val-ve element and thereby -open'the inlet means and-the outlet, whereby the fluid may freely flow through the casing and through -t-he` tubular body;

4. A=shutoff coupling comprising an outer casing havingl an axial bore, one end of which is provided with a fluid inlet and its opposite end with a fluid outlet, a channel arrangedin the casing alongside the axial bore, fluid outlet means connecting'theinlet end ofthe bore with the channel, fluid inlet means connecting the bore adjacent its outlet 'end with the channel, a valve seat'at lthe outlet'endof the bore, a'valve element reciprocably'mounted `in the `bore and arranged to be'actuated intoengagement with the valve seat by the pressure of fluidentering through the fluid inlet ofthe bore, Wherebyfluid vis'prevented from proceeding through the loutlet'of `the bore, and a tubular bodyconnectable to the casing having means for unseating the valve .to open the outletof the bore.

' FRANK J. 'HEYWOOD 

